Director of Payroll

Director of Payroll

Reports To: Vice President of Finance

2 Direct Reports: Payroll Manager, Payroll Admin

Role Type: Operational & Strategic Leadership (100% Hands-On "Player-Coach")

Salary: $145,000 - $175,000

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Director of Payroll provides strategic leadership and complete operational ownership of the organization’s end-to-end payroll function. Managing a weekly payroll for 2,000 to 2,500 active checks (across an active workforce of ~3,000 employees—predominantly hourly with ~150 salaried/admin), this role requires a deeply technical, hands-on leader who can execute any task on the team while driving system integrations, project management, and M&A stand-ups.

The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in Workday and ADP Smart Compliance , holds full accountability for 401(k) administration and tax compliance (NYS-45, 941, SUI) without a dedicated tax manager, and thrives in rolling up their sleeves to configure systems, write deduction rules, and build payroll operations from scratch.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Operational Payroll Execution & System Configuration

• Direct and execute weekly high-volume payroll processing for ~2,000+ hourly and ~150 salaried employees.
• Act as primary administrator for Workday and ADP Smart Compliance ; configure foundation rules, build payroll groups, and create earnings/deduction codes from scratch.
• Perform advanced data reconciliation and reporting using Microsoft Excel ( Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs/XLOOKUPs ).
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical system errors, data flow issues, and operational bottlenecks.

2. Systems, Integrations & M&A Expansion

• Serve as technical lead for system integrations and data mappings between Workday and third-party vendor applications.
• Stand up full payroll operations from scratch for newly acquired entities, business units, or geographic regions.
• Plan, lead, and execute payroll technology projects, system upgrades, and process automation.

3. Tax, FLSA Compliance & Year-End Close

• Hold full, end-to-end operational responsibility for payroll tax administration (no dedicated internal Tax Manager).
• Personally oversee and execute federal, state, and local tax filings, including Form 941, NYS-45, and State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) filings.
• Direct year-end operations, including manual W-2 reconciliations, tax audits, and compliance reporting.
• Ensure strict adherence to FLSA regulations, meal/rest break laws, overtime rules, garnishments, and court-ordered deductions across a complex hourly workforce.

4. 401(k)

• Manage all aspects of retirement plan payroll processes: census file creation/transmission, contribution calculations, match processing, and loan garnishments.
• Lead annual 401(k) compliance activities, including audit support, data collection, and preparation/review for Form 5500 filings .

5. Leadership & Team Management

• Supervise, mentor, and develop two direct reports ( Payroll Manager and Payroll Admin ), establishing operational accountability and performance standards.
• Maintain cross-functional alignment with HR, Benefits, and Finance/Accounting for journal entries, labor allocations, and accruals.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

• Experience: 7+ years of progressive payroll management experience handling complex, high-volume weekly payrolls (2,000+ checks) with a high concentration of hourly workers.
• Systems Expertise (MUST-HAVE): Direct hands-on experience using Workday (building payroll groups, creating deduction/earning codes) and ADP Smart Compliance .
• Technical & Data Skills: Advanced Excel proficiency required ( Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs/XLOOKUPs , data manipulation, and audits).
• Tax Expertise: Hands-on mastery of federal/state tax mechanics, specifically Form 941, NYS-45, and SUI filings without third-party tax management.
• 401(k) Ownership: Demonstrated track record managing 401(k) census data, contributions, and Form 5500 compliance from end to end.
• M&A / Integration Capability: Proven ability to build payroll systems from scratch, establish integrations, and onboard acquired entities.
• Education / Credentials: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or related field preferred; Certified Payroll Professional ( CPP ) designation is a plus.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Player-Coach Mentality: Unafraid to roll up sleeves to run processing, calculate manual adjustments, or trace technical system errors alongside the team.
• Technical Problem Solving: Ability to diagnose root-cause technical issues between Workday and integrated systems.
• Project Management: Structured approach to scoping, planning, and executing system builds and operational changes.
• Scrupulous Accuracy: Flawless execution in W-2 reconciliations, wage calculations, and compliance filings.